Current stop: South Lake Tahoe, CA
The Sierra Nevada section of the PCT was nothing short of epic. This past month has been the most scenic in my life, however, all good things must come to an end and the Northern California section of the PCT beckons.
After our whistle-stop day trip to Yosemite Valley the day prior, we collectively decided that a proper rest day in Mammoth was warranted and we would head back to trail the following day (perhaps the allure of another town dinner was too strong).
After a celebratory 30th birthday coffee for Sid (lots of birthdays on trail, I know) on Day 61, we caught the (free) Mammoth Lakes shuttle bus back to trailhead. The free public transport in many of the Californian mountain towns is surprising (as was the magician/tour guide onboard the shuttle giving us a rundown of the town’s past).
After reaching the trail, there was a quick detour past the popular Devils Postpile National Monument (an unusual basalt rock formation).
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| Devils Postpile |
The highlight from Day 62 was definitely Thousand Island Lake. At this part of the trail we also started to encounter many John Muir Trail (JMT) hikers (the JMT runs coincident to the PCT for the majority of the JMT’s 200 or so miles). We also crossed Donahue Pass, which was surprisingly easy (compared to previous passes in the High Sierra) and also marked the entrance into Yosemite Wilderness.
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| Thousand Island Lake |
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| Thousand Island Lake again |
As we started to enter lower elevation, a familiar foe in the form of mosquitoes began to reappear (little did we know at the time what was in store for us in the coming days).
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| Not pictured: mosquitoes |
The morning of Day 63 was the flattest section of trail to date (and definitely did not feel like we were hiking in the Sierra) as we entered Tuolumne Meadows (part of Yosemite National Park). A family member of another PCT hiker (whom we hadn’t yet met) was providing trail magic in the form of cans of sugar free fruit salad and baked beans. While we appreciated the sentiment, we respectfully turned down the additional offer of carrying out heavy cans of beans on trail.
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| Trail magic (technically) |
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| Lots of granite - definitely in Yosemite now |
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| Tuolumne Falls |
After passing Tuolumne Falls, we descended into what can only be described as mosquito hell. There was no choice but to continue walking for the rest of the day with no stops. Despite the ~28°C weather, we were forced to wear full rain gear and bug nets the whole day. The insects definitely detracted from the majesty of the surroundings and it was a race to reach the sanctuary of our tents.
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| Yosemite Wilderness |
Days 64 and 65 were much the same as the days prior insofar as the mosquitoes were concerned. Upon waking up, dozens of mosquitoes were waiting on the netting of my tent waiting for my departure. With no option but to continue north, we braved the mosquitoes for another day. We had heard that several people were jumping off trail and skipping ahead to avoid the worst of the mozzies (not us though).
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| Not so happy campers |
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| Mosquito gear |
The only respite from the mosquitoes was found at the summit of Benson Pass with a swim in the surprisingly warm (and creatively named) Small Lake (which has been my favourite swim on trail so far and made the day a net positive).
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| Favourite swim to date |
On Day 65, I also crossed the 1,000 mile marker for the trip - it feels good to now be in the quadruple digits!
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| Quadruple Digits! |
On Day 66 we crossed Sonora Pass. I had no expectations for this pass, but it happened to be one of my favourite on trail. On the summit of the pass, the border between the Sierra on one side and Northern California on the other was stark. Much to our relief, this area of trail was also mostly mosquito free.
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| Approach to Sonora Pass |
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| Sonora Pass (angle one) |
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| Sonora Pass (angle two) |
After a quick resupply at Kennedy Meadows North (not to be confused with Kennedy Meadows South at the start of the Sierras), we headed back to trail en route to Lake Tahoe in a few days.
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| Hitch into Kennedy Meadows North |
On Day 67, we started cranking up the mileage in preparation for the next section. The miles certainly come easier than in the Sierra and the scenery, while less ‘harsh’, is still as spectacular.
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| First glimpse of NorCal |
Days 68 and 69 involved 26 and 28 miles of hiking, respectively. Despite the longer mileage, the easier terrain means that long lunch breaks and multiple swims per day are still possible. After passing through the Carson Pass Ranger Station, we were provided with trail magic (in the form of Dr Pepper, granola bars, and fresh fruit by the volunteer rangers) - a very welcome and appreciated surprise! The Ranger Station also had a scale - I was surprised to see that I was down 5.5kg since the last weigh-in three weeks prior.
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| Ranger Station |
This part of the trail also connects to the popular Tahoe Rim Trail which (in combination with it being a weekend) meant many more hikers on the shared trail than we have been used to.
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| Enjoying sun and warmth in June - not used to this in Wellington |
Day 70 involved a meagre two mile hike to Highway 80 where we scored a hitch within 15 minutes to South Lake Tahoe - home for the next two days.
After completing the majority of Town Day chores, including sending the heavy Sierra gear (ice axe, spikes, and warm clothes) away to family in San Diego, the rest of the day was spent enjoying the sun and the water at Lake Tahoe (the shore is 200m away from our accommodation). We also took the opportunity to head to Nevada (the stateline was just down the road).
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| California / Nevada Border |
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| Obligatory casino visit while in Nevada |
The goal at the stage is to complete the Northern California section (~630 miles) before the end of July and to be in Oregon before August all going to plan. There is a heightened risk of forest fires in the upcoming section so fingers are crossed that these don’t curtail the trip.
